Mud lug for automobiles



May zo 1924. 1,494,862

A. H. NELLER nun LUG Fon Au'romon n-:sv

Fuga oct. 24, 1923 INVENTOR AM Lee-M. www

ATTORNEY ALBERT H. NLLER, OF FARFIELD, IOWA. i

MUD LUG FOR AUTOlVIOBILIEiS.y

Application filed October 24, 1923. Serial No. 670,476.

To all 107mm t 772,053/ concern.' f f `Be it known that l, ALBERT H.NELLER, acitizen ot the United States, resi-ding at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson land State of iowa, have invented a new and uselul Improvement in Mud Lugs for, Automobiles, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to that class of devices adapted to be readily attached 'to the tires o'l automobile .wheels for ready use to augment the traction of the driving wheels of the automobile, `when stalled in .a mud hole, and to' thereby assist in getting the auto out of the hole, and then tobe readily detached from the wheel and to be stored in a tool box or some other small place when not in use; and, it consists of an improve mont in the construction of the device whereby it is better adapted to lit dil'erent sizes of tires, can be more `securely attached toy the tire, with less injury Ythereto and will also be more effective in operation, as will be hereinafter set forth. v

lleforring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this speciication, Fig. l is aside view, partially in perspective, ,of a portion of an automobilewheel having a mnd lug consisting of two mating members attached to the wheel and embodying my invention. Fig. is an enlarged transverse section on line 242 of Fig. l. Fig 3 is an enlarged top or plan view of the mud lugs connected together buty detached from the wheel. Fig 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction 'of the arrow, Vand showing the membersseparated from each other..Y Figs. 5,6 and 7 are similar sectional views showingthe members connected'together and fitted to'portions of tires of dierent dimensions.V V

Referring to the drawings, S represents the spokes of the wheel, F the telly or felloe and T the tire ot the portion ot the automobile wheel shown, and on which the members A are mounted. These members are curved in cross section to rit the average convex'v surface of the tires on which they are mounted, and are provided with outstanding flanges B which constitute the lugs to catchu in the body of the roadway and to thereby increase the traction of the wheels to which the device is attached.

The members A are provided with connecting/hooks C and also with (zo-acting eyes D, by means of which they are con- Y nected together. The` members are preli-r erably velongates, or in other words,`their Vlongitudinal dimensions are greater than their crossvsection dimensions, and it is also preferable thata hook C be placed on the edge of each: member near one end, and that a co-acting eye l) be placedA on the same edge of each member near the other end. ln this way only kone pattern willbe required for the members, and when their edges are placed togethei the hook near one end of one of the members will catch in the eye near the adjacent end of the other membenawhich is accomplished` 'at both ends, 'as shown by FigMl. Y

To secure the membersto th'ewheel eyes E are formed in their opposite edges; near the yends thereof, and adjustable fastening means are passed through saideyes so as to have a bearing on .different 'parts of the elly of the wheels, preferably on opposite sides of a spokeas shown in F ig. 1. c Straps each Ahaving abuckle onV one e'ndand a number of ,perforations in the other end for the tongues of the buckle to engage may bc used by means of whichthe device may be readily attached to tires of different sizes and be as readily removed therefrom. Or if. preferrethstrong cords or small ropes may be passed throughthe eyes E andl their ends be tightly tiedrtogether to hold the device on the wheel; `and in detaching it the cords or ropes may be cut apart and thrown away. Other kinds of fastenings may also be used without departing' from the spirit of my invention. l Y The advantages, secured by making the members Aelongated are important. lt furnishes a longer bearing onjthe tire which isdesirable because thestrain of the trac,- tion is lengthwise of the surface ol `the tire and a shortbearing on itis liabletogkink and injure it. The longer bearing of the members A also makes them less liable to slip on the tire and the fastenings being near each end of the elongated members, en-

ables them to come in contact with' atleast two spokes of the wheel as shown in Fig. l, which construction braces the members in either direction as the auto may be driven forward or backward.

The method of connecting the members A together is also advantageous. It will be seen that the inner faces of the hooks are formed on a larger circle than the contacti'ngportions H of the eyes D. Consequenk ly the hooksyare adapted tosli'deen the` portions. H as the freeY sides ofv the members are spread apart or drawn together and will more perfectly fit dierent sizes of tires,as.

shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. As a result of this sliding action, the curved inner portions of the members A Will more nearly conform to the circumference ofthe different sizes of tires to which they may be applied, than ifthe joints were closely fitting.

It it also advisable to guard against an excess of play or looseness in the joints of the members A, and to do this have formed inwardly pointing projections I on the inner sides of the eyes, as most plainly shown in Figs. 4, Gand 7. These projections will Ycome in Vrather close contacty with.V the cen.-

tral. portions of the outer sides of the hooks C, and if they shouldhappen tofit a little too closely it Will be an easy matter-to dress offl the points ofthe projections a little to secure proper adjustment.. y

The'device is exceedingly simple, effective in operation, easy on the tires and is readily adjusted to fit different sizes of tires. It will also be useful in driving automobiles through deep loose sand or snow, as Well as through mud holes.

What I claim is Y l. lny mud lugs for automobiles, a pair of horizontally elongated members curved in cross-section to fit the convex surface of the tires of the' Wheels thereof, means on the Vmeeting edges of the Vmembers near their ends to jointedly fand1 detachably connect them together, eyes in the opposite edges y of the members, also nearctheir ends, for attaching connecting means thereto, a single outstanding laterally disposed centrally located lug on each of the members, andadj ustable fastening means passed through the Y last mentionedA eyes in the members and by the felly of the wheel, whereby the members will be adjustablyfand detachably secured to the Wheel.

2. In mud lugs for automobiles, a pair of horizontally elongated members curved in cross-section to tf the convex surface of the tires of the Wheels thereof, co-acting hooks and eyes on the meeting edges of the members near their ends to jointedly and detachably connect them together, eyes in the opposite edges of the members also near members near their ends to jointedly andl detachably connect them together, eyes in the opposite edges of the members, also near theirY ends for attaching connecting., means thereto, a single outstanding later-ally disposed centrally located lug on each of the members and adjustable fastening means passed through the last mentioned eyes in the members and by thefelly of the Wheel, whereby the members Willbe adjustably and detachably secured to the Wheel, the inside curves of j the co-acting hooks having a larger radius than the contactingl portions of the eyes.

4L. In mud lugs horizontally Aelongated members curyed 1inV cross-section to fit the convex surface of the for automobiles,a.pairof tires of the Wheels thereof, co-acting hooks Y andfeyes on the meeting edges of the members near their ends to j ointcdly and,y detachably connect them together, eyes in the opposite edges of the members also near their ends,"for attaching connecting means there to, a single outstanding laterally disposed centrally located lug on each of the mem bers, and adjustable fastening. means passed through thelast mentioned eyes `in. the members and by the felly of the Wheel, where-by the members will be adjustablyA and detach-V ably secured to the Wheel, said firstmentioned eyes having inwardly disposedV projections in close proximity to the outersurfaces of the co-acting hooks.

Fairfield, Iowa, kOctober 22, 1923.

ALBERT H. Nannies. 

